Ahhhh, the daily struggle that occurs from beginning to mid afternoon for #sahm and #wahm everywhere. The wrestling, begging, pleading, threatening, yelling, struggle. If you've had toddlers or you currently have one then you know what I'm talking about all too well.
The Great Nap Debate is now a hot topic between me and my other mom friends. When do you know it's time to let them stop? This question comes up often in our circle. To be honest, (there's no manual) none of us truly know the answer to that question. Yes, we read articles, watch news segments, consult with child psychologists, but none of that really amounts to anything when the person doesn't know your child.
For instance, my son (who is 3) decided a couple of months ago to start waking up between 10 & 10:30 AM respectively. While that sounds fabulous it's actually quite wretched. It does not matter what time he goes to bed the night before he will sleep this late regardless. So, I'm sure you can imagine the delightful things that occur around 2 PM at his designated nap time.* *denote sarcasm
At first, I let him set the tone, BIG MISTAKE! He didn't take a nap for about three weeks and then we had to deal with whiny, cranky, dramatic three year old around 8 PM EVERY SINGLE DAY! It was then that I realized my dear, sweet, boy was not ready to transition to "no nap world". He just couldn't function.
Now, if I would have listened to my "nanny and daycare" friends I would have been told "he's transitioning out, he's growing up, "it's because of the new baby", etc. The reason I know this is because that's what I was told. However, as MOM I'm here to tell you baby boy is not ready! He needs that sleep almost as much as I do!
Moral of the story this week folks-- when it comes to your child you know what is best. Even in those moments when it's unclear and you feel like you may be on the verge of making the biggest mistake of you life, I promise you are doing it right.
Parenting (especially NAP TIME) is a touchy subject. Each child is different! Plus, if you're like me that's when the house gets clean, the laundry gets folded, showers are taken, quiet is appreciated, work is completed, the self development reading occurs (quite possibly with a glass of wine) and business dealings are hashed out.
Truth be told, The Great Nap Debate is only a debate if you don't listen to your gut and your child's whiny mouth.
--Liv
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